"We had better hurry."
The lads retraced their steps toward their train. Reaching the shed, they
saw the German officer disappearing into a compartment on the train.
"That looks like our compartment to me," said Hal. "I hope we don't have
to ride with him."
"I hope not," agreed Chester, and then broke into a run, as he shouted:
"Hurry! The train is moving!"
It was true. The boys had wasted too much time.
The door to one compartment was all that stood open, and that was the one
in which Mrs. Paine could be seen gesticulating to them.
"We just made it," panted Hal, as they reached the open door, and started
to climb aboard.
At that instant a uniformed arm appeared through the door and
pushed Hal away.
"Go away, you American puppy," came a voice.
Hal slipped, and but for the prompt action of Chester, who caught him by
the arm, would have fallen beneath the train.
The train gathered momentum, as the boys raced along beside it, in vain
seeking an open door by which they might climb aboard. There was none but
their own compartment, and that had passed them. It was impossible for
them to overtake it, and there was not a train guard in sight.
The boys stopped running and stood still as the remainder of the train
slipped past.
On ahead they could see Mrs. Paine and the big German officer, both
gazing back toward them, the former gesticulating violently.
Hal stamped his foot with rage.
"I'd like to get my hands on that big lout!" he shouted.
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